Google Voice is Holding My AT&T iPhone Number Hostage!

I recently tried Google Voice services and, against my usual clandestine ways, I gave it my cell phone number. I wanted to try the SMS service to see if I could eliminate the monthly texting bill. Mistake number ONE.

When I realized that the MMS messages weren’t being delivered through this service, and that ALL my calls were going to GV before my cell (which meant that even my “free” mobile-to-mobile calls were being charged as prime-time minutes) I decided to discontinue my use.

I went in and tried to delete my cell phone number. It refused to let me do that until I gave it another number. So, I begrudgingly gave it my Skype number. Problem solved, right? WRONG!

Even though I completely erased the cell phone number, every single call to my cell number was still going through Google Voice — then Skype — then to my cell.

After battling with this and with AT&T, I FINALLY found the solution and thought I’d share it here for anyone else having the same problem. It’s a “conditional call forwarding” issue that stays in effect, even if you delete your number from Google Voice.

The “cure” is to dial the following on your cell phone: ##004# and the hit the call button. A display will appear showing that your conditional settings have all been erased.

Now, I can finally get the calls to my cell phone number ON my cell phone! Whew!

Hope this helps others – because waiting for help on Google Voice Forums is exasperating.

Writing online since 1999. Visit her at WickedWriter.com. Angela specializes in real estate topics for brokers, agents, and homeowners. She also writes articles for small business owners and entrepreneurs to help them succeed in their businesses and online. Visit her blog at WickedBlog and Follow her on Google+

Thank you for sharing this. I have literally spent hours trying to figure out how to delete GV Mail. I don’t even remember signing up for this – so I don’t even know where to go to delete number or anything.

Anyway, I found the ##004# on another blog, but it said to text it, so I wasn’t sure what to do. You are a life saver. So far so good.

I’m sorry this didn’t work for you. You may want to try it again and then call AT&T for further assistance if it doesn’t work. Also, make sure you didn’t unintentionally “program” your VM button to dial GV instead of the standard dial pattern for AT&T voicemail.

Thank you so much, my hubby tried the google voice on his blackberry and it never worked on his phone to call out, but it did take his AT&T phone # hostage… I even deleted the googlevoice account and it would not go to his regular voice mail. I read your post and he did it , and it worked perfect. Thank you, thank you… 🙂